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OPINION

If we want Mexican gray wolves to recover, we need them north of the Grand Canyon

This Feb. 13, 2019 photo provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows a collared Mexican gray wolf restrained as biologists are gathering data as part of an annual census near Alpine, Ariz. The agency announced the results of the survey Monday, April 8, 2019, saying there has been an increase in the population of Mexican gray wolves in the wild in New Mexico and Arizona. (Mark Davis, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via AP) Mark Davis, AP

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

This Feb. 13, 2019 photo provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows a collared Mexican gray wolf restrained as biologists are gathering data as part of an annual census near Alpine, Ariz. The agency announced the results of the survey Monday, April 8, 2019, saying there has been an increase in the population of Mexican gray wolves in the wild in New Mexico and Arizona. (Mark Davis, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via AP)
Mark Davis, AP

In this Feb. 13, 2019, photo provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a member of the Mexican gray wolf recovery team carries a wolf captured during an annual census near Alpine, Ariz. The agency announced the results of the survey Monday, April 8, 2019, saying there has been an increase in the population of Mexican gray wolves in the wild in New Mexico and Arizona. Mark Davis/ AP

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

In this Feb. 13, 2019, photo provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a member of the Mexican gray wolf recovery team carries a wolf captured during an annual census near Alpine, Ariz. The agency announced the results of the survey Monday, April 8, 2019, saying there has been an increase in the population of Mexican gray wolves in the wild in New Mexico and Arizona.
Mark Davis/ AP

In this Feb. 13, 2019, photo provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, members of the Mexican gray wolf recovery team gathering data from a wolf captured during an annual census near Alpine, Ariz. The agency announced the results of the survey Monday, April 8, 2019, saying there has been an increase in the population of Mexican gray wolves in the wild in New Mexico and Arizona. (Mark Davis, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via AP) Mark Davis, AP

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

In this Feb. 13, 2019, photo provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, members of the Mexican gray wolf recovery team gathering data from a wolf captured during an annual census near Alpine, Ariz. The agency announced the results of the survey Monday, April 8, 2019, saying there has been an increase in the population of Mexican gray wolves in the wild in New Mexico and Arizona. (Mark Davis, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via AP)
Mark Davis, AP

An endangered Mexican gray wolf exits a dog carrier in Chihuahua, Mexico. Mexico's National Commission of Protected Natural Areas released a pack of five wolves into the wild in February 2018. National Commission of Protected Natural Areas

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

An endangered Mexican gray wolf exits a dog carrier in Chihuahua, Mexico. Mexico's National Commission of Protected Natural Areas released a pack of five wolves into the wild in February 2018.
National Commission of Protected Natural Areas

An endangered Mexican gray wolf runs into the wild in Chihuahua, Mexico. Mexico's National Commission of Protected Natural Areas released a pack of five wolves in February 2018. Officials fitted all five wolves with satellite telemetry collars to monitor their locations. National Commission of Protected Natural Areas

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

An endangered Mexican gray wolf runs into the wild in Chihuahua, Mexico. Mexico's National Commission of Protected Natural Areas released a pack of five wolves in February 2018. Officials fitted all five wolves with satellite telemetry collars to monitor their locations.
National Commission of Protected Natural Areas

An endangered Mexican gray wolf enters the wild after Mexico's National Commission of Protected Natural Areas released a pack of five wolves from captivity in February 2018. National Commission of Protected Natural Areas

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

An endangered Mexican gray wolf enters the wild after Mexico's National Commission of Protected Natural Areas released a pack of five wolves from captivity in February 2018.
National Commission of Protected Natural Areas

A female Mexican gray wolf attempts to evade capture at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico. She is now in a breeding program at Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas. Alex Devoid/The Republic

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

A female Mexican gray wolf attempts to evade capture at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico. She is now in a breeding program at Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.
Alex Devoid/The Republic

A female Mexican gray wolf attempts to evade capture at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico in November 2017 The wolf had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border before officials in Arizona removed her from the wild in March 2017. Alex Devoid/The Republic

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

A female Mexican gray wolf attempts to evade capture at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico in November 2017 The wolf had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border before officials in Arizona removed her from the wild in March 2017.
Alex Devoid/The Republic

A female Mexican gray wolf attempts to evade capture by fleeing from officials and volunteers within a fenced enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico. Alex Devoid/The Republic

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

A female Mexican gray wolf attempts to evade capture by fleeing from officials and volunteers within a fenced enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico.
Alex Devoid/The Republic

Wildlife management officials corner a female Mexican gray wolf inside a wooden box within a fenced enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico in November 2017. The wolf had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border before officials in Arizona removed her from the wild. Alex Devoid/The Republic

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

Wildlife management officials corner a female Mexican gray wolf inside a wooden box within a fenced enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico in November 2017. The wolf had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border before officials in Arizona removed her from the wild.
Alex Devoid/The Republic

Wildlife management officials and volunteers capture a female Mexican gray wolf inside a fenced enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico
in November 2017. The wolf had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border before officials in Arizona removed her from the wild. Alex Devoid/The Republic

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

Wildlife management officials and volunteers capture a female Mexican gray wolf inside a fenced enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico
in November 2017. The wolf had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border before officials in Arizona removed her from the wild.
Alex Devoid/The Republic

A male Mexican gray wolf tries to elude capture inside an enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico on Nov. 8, 2017. The wolf was to be transported to the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri, for breeding purposes. Tom Tingle/The Republic

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

A male Mexican gray wolf tries to elude capture inside an enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico on Nov. 8, 2017. The wolf was to be transported to the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri, for breeding purposes.
Tom Tingle/The Republic

A male Mexican gray wolf tries to elude capture inside an enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico on Nov. 8, 2017. The wolf was to be transported to the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri, for breeding purposes. Tom Tingle/The Republic

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

A male Mexican gray wolf tries to elude capture inside an enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico on Nov. 8, 2017. The wolf was to be transported to the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri, for breeding purposes.
Tom Tingle/The Republic

A male Mexican gray wolf tries to elude capture inside an enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico on Nov. 8, 2017. The wolf was to be transported to the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri, for breeding purposes. Tom Tingle/The Republic

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

A male Mexican gray wolf tries to elude capture inside an enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico on Nov. 8, 2017. The wolf was to be transported to the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri, for breeding purposes.
Tom Tingle/The Republic

A male Mexican gray wolf tries to elude capture inside an enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico on Nov. 8, 2017. The wolf was to be transported to the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri, for breeding purposes. Tom Tingle/The Republic

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

A male Mexican gray wolf tries to elude capture inside an enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico on Nov. 8, 2017. The wolf was to be transported to the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri, for breeding purposes.
Tom Tingle/The Republic

A male Mexican gray wolf tries to elude capture inside an enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico, Nov. 8, 2017. The wolf was to be transported to the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri, for breeding purposes. Tom Tingle/The Republic

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

A male Mexican gray wolf tries to elude capture inside an enclosure at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico, Nov. 8, 2017. The wolf was to be transported to the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri, for breeding purposes.
Tom Tingle/The Republic

This Mexican gray wolf, released in January 2016 at Escudilla Mountain in eastern Arizona, is part of a reintroduced population. Mark Henle/The Republic

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

This Mexican gray wolf, released in January 2016 at Escudilla Mountain in eastern Arizona, is part of a reintroduced population.
Mark Henle/The Republic

Officials have undertaken conservation efforts to help re-establish Mexican gray wolves in the southwestern U.S. Getty Images

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

Officials have undertaken conservation efforts to help re-establish Mexican gray wolves in the southwestern U.S.
Getty Images

Population of Mexican gray wolf bounces back after slow progress

This Feb. 13, 2019 photo provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows a collared Mexican gray wolf restrained as biologists are gathering data as part of an annual census near Alpine, Ariz. The agency announced the results of the survey Monday, April 8, 2019, saying there has been an increase in the population of Mexican gray wolves in the wild in New Mexico and Arizona. (Mark Davis, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via AP)

Opinion: If states want a self-sustaining, ecologically meaningful population of Mexican gray wolves, there are two major efforts they'll need to support.

There is good news coming from the Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Program: The wolf population in Arizona and New Mexico grew by 24% over the last year. The population count shows a total of 163 wolves in Arizona and New Mexico in 2019, with 42 packs throughout the two states.

This growth is largely due to a devoted partnership between the states, the federal government, the White Mountain and San Carlos Apache tribes, non-profit groups, captive management facilities, wolf country ranchers and private citizens who are working together to find solutions to long-standing and often divisive wolf-livestock conflicts.

It’s a testament to hard work and dedication despite some zealous opposition in the region.

That said, the success doesn't mean we're done. Rather, it gives the partnership the momentum and cause to expand efforts.

We're making positive steps but need more

The Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Program is a cooperative effort led by the state and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team.

The biologists assigned this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity are highly trained professionals and exceedingly dedicated. If not for these passionate individuals, the program would not be making positive, incremental steps forward.

In addition to state and federal staff on the field team, numerous private individuals helped make a difference, many of whom live and work in the occupied wolf recovery area. These committed individuals include ranchers, interns and members of Native American tribes.

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Captive management facilities across the U.S. and Mexico have been collaborating behind the scenes since the mid-1980s to preserve Mexican gray wolves in captivity and to support reintroduction to the wild.

And non-profit organizations, like Defenders of Wildlife, dedicate full-time staff and significant resources to peaceful coexistence between wolves and humans in the Southwest.

1. Create 2 more healthy populations

A 1-year-old wolf pup is examined for general health during the annual Mexican gray wolf count on Feb. 1, 2020, in the Apache National Forest near Alpine.(Photo: Debra Krol/The Republic)

Yet more must be done before the wolves reach a self-sustaining and ecologically meaningful population in the United States.

The wolf management rule, which is currently under court-ordered revision, will need to reflect this goal.

Anyone who supports the recovery of the wolf should write the Fish and Wildlife Service at mexicanwolfcomments@fws.gov and request these commonsense changes. This may be the last opportunity to create a program for real success.

2. Release adult pairs from captivity

Finally, Arizona and New Mexico must step up and encourage the Fish and Wildlife Service to release well-bonded, adult pairs from captivity.

These pairs can introduce much needed genetic material that provides a good chance at successful reproduction.

Within the binational captive breeding program managed through the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan, there are about 300 to 350 Mexican gray wolves held in more than 50 partner institutions throughout the U.S. and Mexico. These wolves are bred in accordance with the Species Survival Plan to retain critical genetic diversity and provide animals for release to the wild.

If the states would like to see successful recovery of the Mexican gray wolf, as they have stated, then they must reverse their resistance to these releases and begin planning cooperative actions in partnership with the Fish and Wildlife Service now, while there is still time to save this struggling wild population.

In the meantime, all the partners working on the ground and behind the scenes for recovery will continue with total commitment. Their efforts deserve the support, funding and responsible decision-making necessary to ensure success.

It’s not easy, but we have a moral obligation to safeguard this magnificent animal’s survival.

Craig Miller is a senior Southwest representative for the Tucson-based Defenders of Wildlife and has led the organization’s regional wolf and jaguar conservation programs since 1993. Reach him at southwest@defenders.org.